After the interview, Ā muri i te uiui

Tino pai, you’ve done your job interview! Here are some things to do next.

• Send an email to the interviewer the next day thanking them for their time. You can also show your enthusiasm for the job, mention something you forgot, or provide any extra details they asked for.
• Think about whether the organisation is where you want to work if you’re offered the job.
• Think about how the interview went. Work out what went well and what you could do better.
• Write down the questions you were asked – are there any that you need to practise answering?
• Let your referees know they could get a phone call or email from the interviewer soon.
• If you haven’t heard back by the time they said, contact the interviewer. If you didn’t get the job, ask for some feedback to help with your next interview.
• It might take some time for you to hear back, so be patient. In the meantime, keep going with your job search.

If you’re offered the job – well done! You can now choose if you want to accept it.

The employer will send you an employment agreement. Check it over carefully. You may want to discuss the wages or salary you’ve been offered.

If you accept, ask the employer:

• the starting date, time and place
• what you need to bring with you like IRD number, bank account number, tools, safety gear
• if there are any conditions like a drug test, police check or trial period.

If you have an interview and don't get the job it could be that they picked someone with more skills or experience than you. Or maybe there are things you could have done better at the interview. Either way, look back over the interview to see if there is anything you could improve on next time.

• Did you have trouble answering any of the questions?
• Did you do enough research about the organisation?
• Did you prepare questions to ask the interviewer?
• Did you dress properly and look smart?
• Were you friendly and confident when answering questions?

Work out what you want to do better and remind yourself before you go to your next interview. For example:

• If you had trouble answering some interview questions – prepare answers and think of examples to back them up.
• If you were nervous and not confident about speaking – ask a friend or whānau member to do a mock interview with you so you feel more confident at the real one.

If you don’t get the job, don’t give up. Ask for feedback about your interview and keep looking. The right mahi for you is just around the corner.

Good luck with your next interview!